Italian Festival Zeppole Recipes

GRANDMA'S ZEPPOLE ITALIAN DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Add 2-inch oil to a large pot and heat to 375˚F (190˚C).
• In a medium saucepan on medium-low heat, add water, butter, sugar and salt. Cook until butter melts completely.
• Lower the heat and add flour. Use the wooden spoon to mix vigorously until well combined.
• Transfer the dough into a large mixing bowl. Let it cool off slightly, about 3-5 minutes, then add eggs, one at a time. Mix the eggs with the dough using a hand-mixer or wooden spoon. (Make sure your dough is not too hot, otherwise the eggs will scramble when added to the dough.)
• Check the temperature of the oil, if it's ready, it's time to fry the donuts. Use a small spoon to spoon out the batter, and then use another spoon or spatula to scrape the batter into the oil. Make sure to lower the spoon into the oil very gently so that you won't splash the oil onto yourself.
• Cook in batches and fry 10-12 donuts at a time. Fry for 4-5 minutes for each batch until they turn golden brown. You'll need to turn them over from time to time to make sure all sides get cooked properly.
• Remove cooked zeppole from the oil using a slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel lined plate.
• Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm.

ZEPPOLE RECIPE

Steps:

• Add the water to a stand mixer with the hook attachment and then whisk in the yeast until combined. Let stand for 8-10 minutes.
• Next, turn the mixer on low and add in the flour and mix until combined. Add in the salt.
• Knead the dough on medium-low speed for 10 minutes.
• Cover and let stand for 60 minutes or until doubled in size.
• Heat up the oil until it reaches 375°.
• Using a small ice cream scoop or 2 tablespoons scoop some of the dough out and add it to the hot oil and cook until golden brown and cooked throughout, about 5-6 minutes. Be sure to turn then often so that they brown on all sides. Repeat until all the dough has been used and only cook 4-6 at a time in the pot so that they do not become over-crowded.
• Drain the zeppole on a paper towel and generously sprinkle on powdered sugar and serve.

ZEPPOLE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a deep-fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• In a medium saucepan, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Stir in the eggs, ricotta cheese and vanilla. Mix gently over low heat until combined. Batter will be sticky.
• Drop by tablespoons into the hot oil a few at a time. Zeppole will turn over by themselves. Fry until golden brown, about 3 or 4 minutes. Drain in a paper sack and dust with confectioners' sugar. Serve warm.

ZEPPOLE - ITALIAN DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine the water, butter, sugar and salt. Cook until the butter completely melts.
• Add the flour all at once and mix vigorously with a wooden spoon, until the dough comes together in a ball. Continue cooking for a minute or two.
• Place the dough in the bowl of a standing mixer. Mix with a paddle attachment, until you don't see any more steam rising up from the bowl.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, until they are fully incorporated. You can also use a hand held mixer, or even mix up the dough by hand.
• Meanwhile, pour in enough oil into a large, heavy pot (I use my Dutch oven). You should have at least 2 inches of oil, I usually use one full container of oil. Heat up the oil to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Transfer the dough to a large ziptop bag. Cut a hole in one corner. Slowly pipe out the dough and cut off snippets of the dough right into the oil. Be careful not to splash yourself. You can also use 2 small spoons to drop bits of dough into the oil, or use a small portion scoop.
• Keep the temperature above 350 at all times, preferably 360-375 degrees.
• Fry the zeppole about 5 minutes, turning over the ones that don't turn themselves over.
• Take them out of the oil using a slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel lined plate, baking sheet, etc. When you're done frying all the zeppole, dust them with powdered sugar.

ZEPPOLE RECIPE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, add the yeast, sugar and salt to the water. Let stand until creamy, about 2 minutes, and stir to dissolve the yeast.
• In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, yeast mixture and olive oil. Stir with a wooden spoon until a nice sticky dough forms. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1-1/2 hours.
• In a deep saucepan, pour in vegetable oil to a depth of 3 inches. Heat the oil to 370 degrees (use a frying thermometer).
• Use two tablespoons to scoop out the dough and drop it into the hot oil, by using one spoon to push the dough off of the other. Do this for about 4 zeppole at a time, do not crowd them in the pan. Cook until golden brown and puffy, turning with a slotted spoon to fry evenly on all sides.
• Remove the zeppole from the oil with the slotted spoon, and transfer to a plate or tray lined with paper towels to drain. When all zeppole are fried and drained sprinkle generously with powdered sugar and serve hot.

AUTHENTIC ZEPPOLE ITALIAN DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• 1. In a large bowl add the flour and the mashed potatoes.
• 2. Dissolve the yeast in warm water, add a pinch of salt and add to the bowl.
• 3. Mix all the ingredients well and work the dough for about 5 minutes. Alternatively you can use a stand mixer.
• 4. Cover the bowl with a cloth and leave to rise in a warm environment for about 1 hour.
• 5. Get your oil very hot in a deep frying pan and with a spoon drop strands of dough in irregular shapes.
• 6. Turn the dough in the oil until it is golden in color. Remove the Zeppole from the oil and quickly sprinkle with a generous dose of powdered sugar on all sides completely coated.

ZEPPOLE RECIPE (EASY ITALIAN DONUTS)

Steps:

• In a large 3-quart saucepan, combine water, milk, butter, granulated sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently.
• Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup flour all at once using a wooden spoon. Once incorporated, place the saucepan back over medium heat and stir constantly for another 1 1/2 to 2 minutes to release extra moisture and partially cook the flour. The dough will look smooth and a thin film will form on the bottom of the pan.
• Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl and use an electric mixer to beat on medium speed for 1 minute to cool the mixture slightly. Add 4 eggs, adding them 1 at a time and allowing eggs to fully incorporate between each addition. Once all eggs are incorporated, beat another minute until the dough is smooth and forms a thick ribbon when you pull up on the whisk.
• Transfer dough to a piping bag with a 1/2-inch opening, or use a large zip bag and cut a 1/2-inch opening at the tip.
• Heat oil to 375˚F in a dutch oven with a thermometer attached, or in a deep fryer. Once oil is hot, pipe 1-inch lengths into the hot oil, swiftly cutting the dough as you pipe into the oil. Pipe closer to the surface of the oil to avoid oil splashes.
• Fry 4-5 minutes total, turning them over halfway if they don't turn on their own then transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to soak up extra oil then dust with powdered sugar to serve.